PAUL LAMBERT has complete trust in Brendan Rodgers to steer Celtic through troubled waters.
The former Hoops skipper isn’t pressing any panic buttons after his old club stumbled to their second consecutive Premiership loss at the weekend.
The 2-0 defeat from Hearts at Parkhead followed hot on the heels of the 2-1 nosedive to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park to trigger a furious reaction in some quarters.
Much-travelled team boss Lambert, who numbers Norwich City, Aston Villa, Wolves and Blackburn Rovers among his former clubs, dismisses the clamour as “Glasgow madness” and is convinced the Hoops have the right man with his hand on the tiller to ease them through stormy times.
ROARING SUCCESS…Paul Lambert celebrates his thunderbolt strike for Celtic’s second goal in the derby triumph over Rangers at Parkhead on January 2 1998 on their way to title success under Wim Jansen.
The one-Scotland international captain and midfielder, now 54, said: “Celtic have had unbelievable success in the last 10 or 11 years and they are just having a little blip.
“They are still sitting top of the league. If that is a crisis, then I wouldn’t mind having a crisis like that.
“Brendan is a top manager and he will handle it, no problem at all. He knows exactly what Celtic is all about.
“He has worked at the highest level and I have absolutely no worries about Celtic this season, none whatsoever.”
Lambert, speaking to the Glasgow Times, continued: “Once they get their players back they will be stronger and they will likely do some business in January, as well.
“It’s the Glasgow madness, I guess. Celtic will be totally fine.
“The fans are important to the team, that is who you are playing for. You are playing for them and for the club.
PLENTY TO PONDER…Brendan Rodgers watches Celtic toil against Hearts at Parkhead.
“They have had over a decade of sheer dominance and because they have one or two wee ropey spells then people think it’s a crisis. It’s not, it’s only because of the Glasgow madness that it is framed like that.
“As long as the players are focused on what they want to do and how they want to do it, they will be fine.”
The Celtic great added: “They have a top manager, they are still top of the league, and Rangers still need to go to Celtic Park in a couple of weeks.
“I don’t worry just because they have had a couple of results going against them.”
The champions are five points ahead at the Premiership pinnacle although their nearest rivals have two games in hand. They face St Johnstone at Ibrox tomorrow night as they attempt to catch up ground.
Rodgers is now preparing his players for the arrival of rock-bottom Livingston on Saturday to get the team revved up for the Boxing Day encounter against Dundee at Dens Park and then the second derby of the season at Parkhead a week on Saturday.
